When Things Get Complicated
by kissing flames
Summary: Lexia Troyan has enough troubles with college, social life and family. Boy troubles and gods make it worse. But things become REALLY complicated when you're trying to help your best friend's boyfriend by 'marrying' him so his step-mother doesn't murder him, trying not to fall in love with him soon afterwards and trying not to let your best friend know about it at the same time.
1. Chapter 1

_I'm ba-ack with the new edited, rewritten story :) I won't keep you from reading so skip the disclaimer and read the story. I'll put in the Author's Note later :)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians._

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Watching Jean dance, I felt about a billion years old. How the hell was she still able to dance like crazy while I was still exhausted from the six and a half hour flight - plus the four hour delay because of bad weather? It was probably just the fact that, unlike Jean, I spent more time studying than socializing and hadn't properly slept in ages so I could keep my damn grades up.

She motioned for me to get onto the floor as we'll but I pretended I didn't see her madly waving hand, looking in another direction instead. If I got onto the floor, I'd probably end up just humiliating myself and I did not need to do that again - the stunt at the paragliding had been so crazy and awesome it had been stupid.

It's funny how going off to college makes you pretty much anti-social. At least in my case. And then everyone else is out chilling out and/or partying. We'll, they got into Stanford because they're actually smart. I just study a lot. And there goes me with my silent rants.

I shake my head and realize there is a boy headed my way, and quite obviously looking/staring at me. Well, unless he's looking at someone behind me. I slightly turn my head and see there's no one behind me.

Annoyingly, I've always been somewhat awkward around guys I don't know well. I've always had no idea how to respond to them without looking like an idiot. Pathetic for a girl who's 21.

I jump when Jean taps me on the shoulder.

"Have you been listening to a word I've been saying?" she asks and all I can say is, "When did you get here?"

"Obviously not," Jean sighs, shifting her weight onto the other leg. I always notice these small details about what people do. I don't know why but it just happens, and then I always remember it. Like how Jean has this habit of shifting her weight from one leg to another every four or five minutes or every minute or two under the influence of even slight alcohol. And how one of our lecturers always taps his fingers when irritated, impatient or waiting for everyone to shut up.

"Lexia? Who are you staring at?" Jean turns around and looks in the random direction I'm staring at. I realise I'm staring at the boy that had been walking towards me (or Jean). He seems to have stopped for a second to talk to someone, but every few minutes he seems to glance towards me (most probably Jean, but a girl can hope).

I look at Jean and realise she's glancing between me and the boy that I was accidentally staring at.

"Do I need to know something?" she innocently asks, but there's a slight edge in her voice, "Is there anything going on?"

"I don't even know who he is!" I protest, glaring at her, "I don't know his name, I don't know anything about him!"

"Uhuh." Jean's unconvinced.

The awkward moment when your deep in thought and you end up staring at someone intently. I really wish it didn't happen. Now Jean's going to try being matchmaker. It's not unusual for Jean, but there's something not quite right about her attitude.

"You know, I danced with him. He didn't seem to be too interested in me. He asked about you quite a bit though," Jean adds, causing me to roll my eyes.

"About two questions I bet."

"You're impossible," Jean snaps, making me think she's slightly drunk. Usually if she's infuriated by me she'd give me a kick. She then obviously tries to calm down and gives me a smile, "Come on. Come dance."

"Na," I shake my head, "Too tired. You go."

She looks like she wants to argue but in the end decides not to and leaves me standing where I am. And that's how conversations between the two of us tend to go. Our other friends have gotten used to it - I think.

"Your friend?" an unfamiliar voice asks and I turn around. It's the same boy that was looking at me, and I have to say, he's even better looking up close. His blonde hair falls over his blue eyes - which look a lot like the colour of a clear sky - and his muscles aren't completely obvious, but his t-shirt outlines them. Definitely drool worthy.

I mentally slap myself so that I answer before there's a silence and I end up forgetting what he said.

"Uh, yeah. She told me you were dancing with her earlier," I say, as calmly as possible without blushing - though I expect I am, "She enjoyed it." Well, it's not exactly a lie... hopefully.

He grins as if he knows I'm partially lying which isn't very reassuring.

"So you don't like dancing?"

"Who are you and how the hell do you know everything about me?" I blurt out, then feel my face heating up. Ah damn. See, this is why I don't tend to talk to people - because I say stupid things.

He starts laughing and I silently groan. Oh great, now I'm being laughed at. Like I don't humiliate myself enough in front of others.

I've got a good mind to walk away but the guy looks at me, his expression reassuring me that he's not laughing _at _me but _with _me - apart from the fact that I'm not laughing myself.

"I'm Lexia," I decide it's a good time to introduce myself.

"It's good I found out your name. I was going to refer to you as _The Girl that Gives the Weird Comments_," the boy says, "I'm..."

He pauses for a second as if deciding whether to tell me or not. "...Apollo."

"Like the Greek God?" I raise an eyebrow, slightly interested. Something sparks in the back of my mind but I brush it aside. It kind of fits - the Apollo in the myths was extremely good looking - so is this guy. I wonder if his mum guessed that he was going to be amazingly good looking.

"Mhm," Apollo nods. For a bit we don't say much else (which I'm pretty relieved about) before we start talking again about, well, pretty much anything. Like me, he has a habit of his conversations going from one thing to another to another and we never end up going back to the same topic as before. It's interesting and fun - _way _better then dancing.

I find out that he - like me - is a doctor (well, I'm a doctor to be, but same thing) and he - unlike me - loves music. I did piano for three years then gave up after the fourth grade exam when I was 14 because it was too tough - he _finished_ all his piano exams at 14. I decide not to tell him of my failure with instruments.

Other than the doctor fact and that we both like the same sort of cars - at least _someone _agrees with me that Maserati's and Lamborghini's are the best - we could barely be more different; he hasn't seen his mum for forever, my mum would murder me if I didn't call her every week; he has one twin sister and more than a few half-siblings, I have an older brother and that's it; he likes white chocolate, I like milk chocolate (don't ask how we got to _that _topic); he's unbelievably good looking and I'm average - something that I only discussed with myself in my head.

We're even pretty much opposites in looks - he has blonde hair, I have dark brown hair like my mum, Apollo has blue eyes, I have green.

"Do you want a drink?" he offers after about half an hour of talking and I look at him to check he's not just messing with me - been there, done that, don't want it to happen again. "Sure..."

Yeah, this was definitely new.

Jean stumbles behind Apollo, obviously drunk, going in some random direction. I curse under my breath, knowing I would - being the amazingly wonderful friend I was - have to get her to my place and make sure that she didn't do anything stupid. Sometimes I wonder about that girl and her antics - she was going to be the death of me at this rate.

"Excuse me for a second," I apologise and move past Apollo, moving towards Jean.

I step in front of her and grab her shoulders, and see her eyes have more red veins then our body probably has (okay, exaggeration, but still). That wasn't good.

"Lexia! Where were you?! I've been looking all over for you - " I can barely manage to make out what she's saying because it's so slurred. Urgh. Way to ruin this Jean.

"Need some help?" Apollo questions from behind us. I can just imagine an amused smile on his face to go with the sound of his voice. It kind of irritates me, but it's probably mostly because Jean's being a pain.

"Nope," I say through gritted teeth, not turning around to look at him, and grab Jean's arm making sure that she doesn't run off. I hope that my tone isn't as harsh as it sounds to me. "It's fine. I'll take Jean back to my place for tonight and make sure she doesn't hurt herself too much."

"Le - "

"Jean, please shut up." I'm already in a bad mood because of her and do not need it to be made worse by one of her comments while she's drunk.

Apollo chuckles, and I turn around to face him.

"I should probably go before Jean decides to get another drink..." I begin awkwardly, trying to keep a firm grip on Jean's arm even though she's trying to get away. I don't think she even realises Apollo's there.

He looks at us then says, "Here, I'll give you my number so if you need any help you can just call or text me."

I probably blush and say, "Can you just put your number onto me phone? I don't think I'll be able to cause Jean's making it kind of hard to." To prove my point she stamps on my foot and my eye twitches. I squeeze her arm to send her a silent message to stop it or I'd end up hitting her upside the head later before digging my phone out of my pocket and handing it to Apollo.

He quickly enters his number into my phone before pulling out his own phone and doing something - probably texting or calling from my phone to his - so my number's on his phone as well. At my puzzled look he answers, "So I know who it's from and don't end up blocking you. Though I doubt I need to - it'd be pretty hard to forget you."

Damned butterflies.

"Thanks," I say, taking my phone back, "I probably should go now. See you later?"

Now, I'm not one of those stupid ditz' that 'fall in love' at first sight, but I wasn't going to pass a chance with an extremely hot guy - I wasn't _that _stupid.

He gives me a wink.

"See ya."

I - literally - drag Jean outside though she's still fighting against me and get a taxi back home.

I can imagine exactly what's going to happen judging by my mum's predictability. A yummy meal, chocolate chip cookies - which I was definitely going to snatch a few off before bed, warm bed completely ready for me to fall asleep in and the spare room set in case Jean was wasted - which she was.

However, I can't completely forget Apollo though and he crosses my mind for a second. Along with that though, comes a slightly uneasy feeling that I can't fully understand. I close my eyes and yawn, letting myself relax for the first time in what seems like forever.

San Francisco was great and all but New York was by far the best.

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_So... I changed some stuff, not too much, not too little, so that it should work. I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm going to do and I'm not going to get off track :)_

_Read and review?_

_- deja vu again who will change her pen name as soon as her NEW poll has enough votes (hint, hint, nudge, nudge)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians._

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"Dave!" I yell, tempted to try and use Jean's head to bash the door open. "Open up!"

Yes, I'm that much in a bad mood.

I can see my brother standing on the other side of the mostly transparent door. I would bet anything that he's smirking.

"Dave, open up! Jean's not in a good condition!" I exclaim trying to hold up a falling unconscious Jean. Annoying. Useless. Stupid. Annoying.

"Not my problem," Dave calls back.

I have to remind myself not to kill him because society, for some reason, doesn't think that killing people is a good idea, even if they annoy you to death.

"She's going to throw up at the door," I warn - well, lie, but still. "Open up _now_."

"Nope."

I glare through the door, hoping he can see my glare through it. I can't believe he's still as annoying as before after three years of seeing him. Brothers.

I resort to using the spare key that's usually under the second stair, accessible by a small and barely noticeable hole. Jean's passed out so I try to get her to lean on the rail which works well until she ends up collapsing on the spot.

I sigh and go to get the key but the problem is, it's not there. Shi - eesh kebabs. i remind myself not to swear, even though I fail most of the time. Dave...

Storming back up the stairs, I push on the door until I'm certain it's about to break. I don't even know why I'm getting so damn worked up over this, but it's getting on my nerves now.

I hear a click and am startled, and end up pushing the door again, as if I knew it was open - which it was. Dave wasn't there - I can't believe he had the nerve to decide to ditch me after taking the spare key and locking me outside with a drunk and passed out Jean.

That was only a tiny bit of my thoughts. The thing that was taking up most of my thoughts was the fact the door opened. I doubt Dave had opened it - he enjoys leaving me outside sometimes, just for the heck of it (last time it happened I was 14, but thank god mum had grounded him for ages afterwards). I didn't think he'd do it again - just goes to show that my brother would never in a billion years grow up.

As tempting as it is to leave Jean outside and see how she'll like it when she wakes up outside in the freezing cold, I'm not that much of a bad friend. I pretty much drag her inside - how the hell has she not waken up yet? - and switch on the front lights. Where the hell has everyone gone? How did neither mum nor dad hear me yelling at Dave?

Exasperated, I get Jean into the lounge and manage to get her on the couch. It's freezing and my light jacket isn't helping much. I turn the lights and heater on before flopping myself down on the other couch and reac to the table next to me for the remote. I frown when the remote isn't there and look at the spot. The remote's always there. It's its allocated spot and we always put it there.

I reluctantly get up and search the room for the remote. I don't end up finding it but _do _get the attention of my mum with my swearing and curses as I trip over wires and shoes and bang into tables. It's infuriating that because I'm not clumsy, but nothings in the right place. There was always a larger gap between the tables and the couch, wires were always tucked away and shoes were either on your feet, in the bedrooms or at the front door.

"Lexia?" Mum looks tired as if she just woke up, but her expression's startled as she comes down the stairs. "What are you doing? You were coming back tomorrow, weren't you?"

"What? I was going to but then there were no flights so I told Dave to tell you - " I pause. Shit. Dave. Oh, he did not just...

"I'm going to kill him. I am so going to kill that fu - erm, freaking annoying, useless, stupid, annoying, good for nothing - " Yeah, I'm repeating myself, but I don't care. I can't believe he would do that! He didn't tell our parents that I was coming back then locked me out of the house! I made up my mind to somehow get revenge on him later (but chances are I'll end up forgetting).

My mum smiled tiredly, before saying, "Let me guess, Jean's gotten drunk?"

We exchanged a smile; mum and I had a pretty tight relationship. I could tell her all about boys, what was going on at school (apart from really serious stuff) and everything about friends - she loved hearing gossip that I managed to pick up from Jean and some other friends.

Unfortunately, there was stuff that we got into arguments about like me concentrating on my studies (okay, maybe I slacked off a bit, but not _that _much... I think) as well as not getting involved in ultra serious stuff going on at school.

"Yeah, she'll be okay tomorrow. Er, could you get me something to eat...?"

Mum chuckles and says, "Give me a few minutes. Any idea where Dave went?"

"I'll check his room," I reply. Mum gives me a look saying, _don't kill him_, and I smile back wryly. "I'll try my best not to."

I climb up the stairs and walk down the small hallway. I'm tempted to go into my old room first, but go into Dave's room instead.

It's a total mess and I wrinkle my nose. His books are all over his room, some on his desk, some on the floor and some under his bed. His clothes are everywhere too and I can see at least 5 cups of coffee on his desk.

I don't understand how he can stand having his room like that. I mean, my room isn't completely neat, but at least it's not _this _messy. Dave hasn't even been here for long - he was supposed to get home three days before me, but I think he had to get another flight because his got cancelled for some reason.

On the bed is a figure and before praying it's not some girl that he's brought home - he usually only did that when our parents were out, but I don't know about now. I shove him so he hits the wall, and he opens an eye and pretends to have just woken up.

"What was that for?" I growl.

"What was what for?" he complains, "I didn't do anything."

"No? How about _forget _to tell mum and dad I'd be coming home a day early and locking me outside!" I punch his shoulder but he just grins at me.

"How did you get in anyway?"

"Ha! You did lock me out!"

Dave smirks at my expression. "Well, I had to do it for old times sake. And you yelling was hilarious."

I scowl. "You're are the most annoying, the most insufferable, the most - "

Dave stops me from continuing by saying, "Now, now, I know you love me but you don't have to flatter me like that Lexi. I know I'm brilliant and all but - "

"You're useless."

I leave his room, knowing we'll end up arguing - well, I'll end up yelling at him and he'll just smirk - and not wanting one at this time at night.

"Love you too," I hear him call.

"Clean you room!"

It's funny how quickly my mood can change with two sentences. I bound down the stairs in a better mood than before and into the kitchen.

"When will it be done?" I question, even though I have no idea what she's making. Mum gives me a mock exasperated look.

"Dave's a bad influence on you. I swear you two eat enough to feed ten people," she says. I chuckle.

"So when will it be done?"

"Give it a few minutes."

I roll my eyes impatiently, waiting for the food - whatever it is - to be done. I'm starving, so I decide to take my mind off my empty stomach.

"Dad still sleeping?"

"You know how he sleeps; he could sleep through a war."

We share a smile before returning to a silence. I decide to break it - because I despise silences unless I need them to think - by saying that I'll go to check on Jean to see if she's woken up. I don't think she will, but otherwise I'll just stay in the kitchen whining about how hungry I am and irritate mum.

Of course, Jean's not awake, but I notice her phone slipping out of her pocket. I take it out and am about to put it down when I accidentally hit a button. A message comes on from a number that looks familiar.

I take out my own phone to compare the numbers. They're the same. I clench my jaw and drop Jean's phone onto the table before placing mine next to it.

I'm more than irritated, an try to ignore it by distracting myself with the pasta my mum brings in.

"You made this in ten minutes?" I ask, quickly scoffing down the food so fast I almost choke, throwing manners out the window, causing my mum to look at me scandalized. I could care less though. I was starving.

"I was going to make something fresh, but then I remembered we'd had pasta last night and heated up." Of course. I shake my head, unsurprised. I can see where I got my ability to slack off from.

In a matter of minutes, I'm done and satisfied. I realise I've completely forgotten about the number when I spot the phones on the table. I scowl for a second before realising mum's in the room and rearrange my expression. Thank god she doesn't notice.

I yawn and notice Mum's expression. "I think I'm going to go to bed. I'm exhausted."

She nods approvingly. "Off you go. We'll just leave Jean where she is. She'll be fine. Hungover, but fine."

Nodding, I kiss her on the cheek before running up the stairs and into my room. It's exactly as I left it but cleaner. Kind of.

I throw myself on to my bed which is so warm and comfortable I feel that I'll never bother to get up again. A yawn escapes my lips again and I close my eyes hoping to drift off to sleep immediately. No such luck.

My mind churns over the fact that Apollo gave his number to Jean. It shouldn't irritate me as much as it does because he did say it was just if I needed help, but it does, even though it's completely ridiculous.

I think I've been hanging around Jean too much because it feels like I'm turning into one of those girls who insist there's such thing as love on first sight - _please_, of course you can't fall in love on first sight. Well, you can, but chances are it's not going to be with the right person.

I decide to close my eyes and pray that sleep will just come to me if I try and clear my mind, which never really works. In the end though, I manage to drift off into a sleep. Unfortunately though, I slip into a dreamland which is too familiar to me. It's a place where the dreams don't make sense at all, and in no way relate to me. I never see familiar faces, just ones of people I don't know.

However, they always contain a recurring aspect that I tend to forget until I'm in dreamland again. I guess my parents drilled Greek myths a tad too much in my head when I was little.

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_- deja vu again who will change her pen name... soon._


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians._

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Lexia is glaring at me, even though I have no idea why. It's annoying, because it's like I've done something completely wrong without knowing it.

Jean asked to meet up, so I'm here, and she brought her best friend along too because they stick together. Jean's been pretty much glaring at me the entire time too but I can understand that. I've been so distracted, it's surprising I can get that distracted.

I can't help the smirk that crosses my face at the thought of what would happen if I got that distracted during a meeting. Oh, wait... I _always _get that distracted during meetings. Never mind.

Jean's disappeared somewhere - I think she's getting something for her and Lexia to eat - so I have time to think since Lexia doesn't want to talk anyway. Thank the gods because, though she'd talked almost non-stop a week ago in the club, she'd completely clammed up today and only responded in either 'yes', 'no' or silence. Wow, she's been talking a lot today.

A scowl crosses Lexia's face as she looks at my grin before she looks away, obviously irritated. What is up with her? I haven't annoyed her in any possible way like I accidentally do with Artemis, but she's looking at me like I completely stuffed something up. Mortals.

I'm assuming that Jean's lost in the long line at the cafe we're at. I'm pretty sure the food's going to run out by the time she reaches the front, but I decided not to tell her that when she left.

In a bright light - that is _of course _not brighter than mine - Hermes appears in front of me - er, us. Lexia shouldn't notice much, probably just assuming he walked up to us, so I raise an eyebrow at Hermes.

"What?" I ask, confused at his appearance. Since the Titan War - which, admittedly - was about nine years ago, Hermes hasn't been much pleasant company and prefers to be alone. He gets snappish easily now and often has a scowl on his face - like now.

He's currently wearing a scowl worthy of Artemis - now that's saying something - as he sits on a chair, before he looks at Lexia and, obviously unimpressed, asks, "Is that her?"

"Is that who?" I repeat, blankly, "What in the name of Hades are you talking about Hermes?"

Hermes talks to me as if he's talking to a five year old, which is pretty insulting, "Well, maybe we have a meeting today, and you were supposed to bring the girl you'd prefer to get married to."

I stare at him, my mind not piecing together what he meant.

"_What _girl?"

"You've got to be kidding," he groans and proceeds to explain the meeting I'd completely forgotten about.

About a month ago, Hera had brought up the subject of getting me married. I don't know if every guy feels like strangling his step-mother when she brings that up, but I was - and am - at the verge of it. Marriage is like the unspeakable thing for me. You don't speak of it _ever_.

I swear under my breath. I have 30 minutes to find someone willing to put on an act for some time until I convince Hera out of this idea. Shit. I am so screwed.

I wrack my brains, trying to think of something and think that maybe it would have been better for the Titans to attack again. Least I wouldn't have to put up with this. I scan the crowd of people going by the street, trying to think of some inspiration.

Accidentally, I look at Lexia and she has a mixture of expressions on her face ranging from confusion to an expression that can't be named.

"What the fuck is going on?" she ends up saying. Very direct. "How did that guy - " she points to Hermes, " - appear out of no where?! What the hell's going on?!"

Hermes and I exchange a glance. So she's either a demigod or she can see through the Mist. Huh. Weird.

In the background, Lexia's rattling off about a billion questions, as if expecting us to answer every single one, but one of them makes me think twice.

"Why the hell does - Hermes, you said? Why the hell does Hermes look so much like my dad?" Lexia exclaims.

"Shut up," I say, crossly, "Stop shouting. Or do you want the world to know about the existence of the Gods?"

She scoffs.

"Gods. Yeah, sure. There's _so _a bunch of people sitting up there controlling our lives. If there were, then I'd love to - "

I clear my throat, trying not to look amused at the list that she says off the top of her head about exactly what she'd say to them. I should be offended, but she looks hilarious when in a temper, so I end up almost laughing instead. Hermes on the other hand looks distracted.

"What's your last name?" he questions her.

"Urm, isn't there this thing about not telling strangers about you?" she replies. I resist rolling my eyes. This girl asks too many questions for her own good.

"Troyan," she says after a few seconds of silence.

Hermes scrutinizes as her as if to check if she's lying. I try to figure out what he's thinking, and, well, fail. Lexia looks like she's doing the same thing and also seems to end up failing.

And that's when the best - and worst - idea in the world hits me.

"Lexia... you wouldn't happen to need any help with... er... college funds, would you know?" I look at her, hoping she does. It may seem odd, but I've got good reasoning for it.

Lexia just glares at me, so I guess that she does.

"Well... if you help me, I could help you..." I suggest. This causes Hermes to look at me and then groan again.

"You have _got _to be kidding Apollo. You can't be serious..." he murmurs, and I glare at him to shut up. It could work. Maybe. Hopefully. Perhaps.

Lexia looks between the two of us, obviously trying to guess what we're talking about, but I can safely assume that she has no idea.

"Okay, so, you probably heard that Hera - my step-mother - " I start, but she holds up a finger as if telling me to be quiet. I'm not particularly happy with being told to be quiet, but I let her talk.

"All these Greek terms... you won't joking, were you?" she says, looking at Hermes and I as if we've turned into aliens (which is pretty insulting). "There's actually gods. Greek gods, and you're two of them."

"Well done on working that out," I say, exasperated by her slowness, and currently pleased that Jean hasn't come back yet because I'm a hundred percent sure she can't see through the Mist - or so I hope.

"Now, can I continue? Hera's trying to get me, er, married off because she insists it'd be good for me and would 'make me more mature'."

I make a face at this, since I'm perfectly fine with not being completely mature.

Lexia looks like she's still trying to catch up with the idea of the Greek gods being real. I wonder what would happen if I told her that we had Roman aspects and that the Egyptian gods were real too. If she's this surprised at the Greek gods being real, then if she found out about the others she'd probably go insane.

For some reason, insanity and Lexia Troyan don't sit well in my mind together, but I can't think of why. I decide to push it out of my mind and address the problem at hand first before making any theories about anything else. If this works, then I'll be perfectly fine. If not... I would shudder at the possibilities.

"Unfortunately, pretty much everyone, including Hermes, decided they liked the idea. They gave me a month to find a girl before _they _found one, and I don't want to even think about who they'd choose. Maybe some girl like _Nemesis_ or someone."

Lexia shakes her head as if trying to pay attention.

"Sorry, what?" she says. I roll my eyes and repeat what I said.

"...is that the goddess of revenge or magic?" Lexia questions. She looks as if she's remembered something she didn't want to.

"Revenge," I reply, "She's _freaky_. Every time I look at her, I see Hera - probably because I hate that cow - but, still, she's _weird. _I mean, if she was like Aphrodite turned hot then maybe..."

Lexia looks disgusted at this. "You're just like the guys at high school and college! Are looks _all _you care about? I mean, you guys are _gods_. Shouldn't you be more mature or something?"

I pointedly ignore this and continue, "So, I need help. If you could - "

"No," Lexia intersects me, shaking her head, "No, no, _no_! Sorry, but I can't act. You could ask Jean to, but no, not me."

I glower at her before trying to work out what could get her to help. I can't believe that just because one stupid, annoying, useless, good for nothing cow - erm, because my kind, wonderful, amazing step-mother - decided that I needed to get married I have to _beg _someone to help. It's more annoying then anything.

"Listen, I swear on the River Styx I'll pay all your freaking college fees I have to, just help!" I plead, which is a new low for me, but unless I want to end up with Nemesis, I'm perfectly fine with it. Kind of.

She eyes me cautiously. "All the college fees?" she asks.

"All of them," I confirm, starting to relax. Maybe it'll be easy after all.

"...you pay college fees and both Jean and my flight to San Francisco - in business class - and I'll think about it," Lexia decides. I glare at her. Hades she's annoying.

I try to think of something to confirm that she'll help.

"I'll pay your college fees and get you and Jean a flight to San Francisco... in first class," I offer. By the glint in her eye, I know she's hooked. She looks a lot like Hermes does - well, did - when he liked the offer he was getting.

Lexia bites her lip and seems to weigh up her options.

"How long is this for again?" she questions, and I respond impatiently.

"Just until I can convince Hera it's a bad idea."

She brushes her brown hair back, off her face and her face is grim as if she thinks it's a bad idea but is going to go ahead with it anyway.

"Fine," she mutters finally, causing me to sink back in my chair and finally relax, "I'll help. But only for a while." Her voice has an edge to it and warning in it as if a while should only be a very short time.

"Thank Zeus," I mumble, and look at Hermes looks partially amused by this. "It's alright. I'm not going to end up with anyone horrible."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Lexia muses, and I shoot her a grin. Unfortunately, she doesn't respond to it other than to look in another direction.

Thankfully it's Hermes and not me that has to remind her that we've got to act like a couple of a sort. I can already tell it's going to be tricky.

"Let me do the talking," I say, "You... just shut up and smile the whole time."

A sour expression is on her face as she nods.

"How about Jean though?" she asks, and I freeze. Now that's an issue as well. Damn it. She just _has _pile on problem after problem, doesn't she?

"You'll - _we'll _- just have to make sure she doesn't find out about it." I try not to show that I know the idea is really stupid because otherwise I have no other way to get around it. Maybe it would be better just to let them choose... no. No. No. No chance of that happening. Ever.

"I suppose..." Lexia looks unsure of the idea.

"We'd better get going." Hermes glances at his Rolex. "The meeting starts soon."

He looks at Lexia distastefully. "She'd better come along too."

"To a meeting?" Lexia's voice is barely a squeak and she looks pretty terrified at the thought. "With the gods? All of them? I can't come along..."

"You'll be fine," I say, "Don't worry."

She shoots me a nasty look and shakes her head as if I don't get it.

"Now would be a really good time to go," Hermes adds, "Unless you want some of our _wonderful family _to yell at us."

Both Hermes and I get up and Lexia looks at the two of us.

"I'm going to regret this aren't I?" she grumbles. "Fine, let's get this over with."

* * *

_Another chapter done :)_

_It's wonderful what you can do when you have an idea in your head :)_

_And... here's a question: can we get to the same reviews we were at for the previous story (**200**) before or at the same amount of chapters?_

_Read and review? :)_

_- kissing flames_

_P.S. Finally changed my pen name for good :)_


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